Research

Obama Says “We Can’t Wait” But His Stimulus Spending Won’t Kick In For Years

Less Than 8 Percent Of The Obama-Reid Infrastructure Stimulus Bill Would Be Spent This Fiscal Year. (“Budgetary Effects Of S.1769 The Rebuild America Jobs Act,” Congressional Budget Office, 11/1/11)

Less Than Half Of The Obama-Reid Infrastructure Stimulus Bill Will Be Spent By 2015. (“Budgetary Effects Of S.1769 The Rebuild America Jobs Act,” Congressional Budget Office, 11/1/11)

• More Than A Quarter Of Obama-Reid Infrastructure Bill Stimulus Would Be Spent After 2016. (“Budgetary Effects Of S.1769 The Rebuild America Jobs Act,” Congressional Budget Office, 11/1/11)

Stimulus Spending Cannot Deliver The Jobs America Needs Now

“Jobs Are Needed Now – Not In A Few Years,” And Experts Doubt That Obama’s Proposed Infrastructure Spending Can Move Quick Enough To Provide Those Jobs. “With the jobless rate hovering at 9 percent and an uneasy economic recovery, jobs are needed now — not in a few years. But experts are skeptical that projects would come fast enough. A tremendous amount of money and time is needed to get a project through a detailed design process, permitting, environmental hurdles, public hearings and land acquisition.” (Kendra Marr, “‘Shovel Ready’ Jobs Could Take Time,” Politico, 9/26/11)

 “Infrastructure Experts Doubt That Billions In Emergency Spending Will Be The Quick Jobs Fix The President Is Promising.” “Here we go again. President Barack Obama hasn’t yet used the term ‘shovel ready’ in his latest jobs pitch, but he faces a familiar problem: Infrastructure experts doubt that billions in emergency spending will be the quick jobs fix the president is promising.” (Kendra Marr, “‘Shovel Ready’ Jobs Could Take Time,” Politico, 9/26/11)

• “‘Unfortunately, there aren’t many jobs ready to go at the snap of a finger,’ said William Ibbs, a professor of civil engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, who also consults on major construction projects.” (Kendra Marr, “‘Shovel Ready’ Jobs Could Take Time,” Politico, 9/26/11)

Obama Is Making The Same Mistake Twice

2008: President-Elect Obama Was Confident That Shovel-Ready Infrastructure Projects Would Lead Recovery And Create Jobs Immediately. OBAMA: "Now, here's what I'm confident about, that our economic recovery plan, our 21st-century investments will create jobs immediately that would not otherwise be created. We've got shovel-ready projects all across the country that governors and mayors are pleading to fund. And the minute we can get those investments to the state level, jobs are going to be created." (President-Elect Obama, "Remarks in Chicago Announcing Energy and Environment Team," 12/15/08)

• Despite His Rhetoric To The Contrary, Obama Had Been Warned Since He Before He Took Office That There Is No Such Things As Shovel-Ready Projects. “Much of the infrastructure spending, meanwhile, was destined to languish unused, as it was made clear, even during the transition, that there were limits to how quickly money could be spent. Obama would own up to these concerns a year and a half later, admitting that he had learned ‘there’s no such thing as ‘shovel-ready’ projects’ Actually, he’d been warned of this well ahead of the bill’s unveiling.” (Ron Suskind, “Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President, Harper, 2011)

2010: “[Obama] Realized Too Late That ‘There’s No Such Thing As Shovel-Ready Projects’ When It Comes To Public Works.” (Peter Baker, “Education Of A President,” The New York Times, 10/12/10)

2011: Obama: “Shovel-Ready Wasn’t As Shovel-Ready As We Expected.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks Before The President’s Council On Jobs And Competitiveness, Durham, N.C., 6/13/11)